Prince William wraps up Australia, NZealand visit

Britain's Prince William laughs as he puts on an Akubra hat while attending a spirit of the country concert at Toowooba, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Britain's Prince William meets people while attending a spirit of the country concert at Toowooba, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Prince William meets community members and volunteers during a flood briefing for the community of Ipswich, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron, Pool)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Prince William meets community members and volunteers during a flood briefing for the community of Ipswich, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron, Pool)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Britain's Prince William waves an Akubra hat while attending a spirit of the country concert at Toowooba, Australia, Sunday, March , 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Britain's Prince William reacts as he listens to a speech at a flood fundraising appeal event in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. Prince William is on a tour of New Zealand and Australia visiting areas that have been hit by natural disasters in the last year. (AP Photo/Daniel Munoz, POOL)
(Daniel Munoz - AP)

Britain's Prince William meets people while attending a spirit of the country concert at Toowooba, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Britain's Prince William, right, accepts an Akubra hat from Australian country singer Troy Cassar-Daley while attending a spirit of the country concert at Toowooba, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Prince William smiles as he meets community members and volunteers during a flood briefing for the community of Ipswich, Australia, Sunday, March 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Dean Saffron, Pool)
(Dean Saffron - AP)

Britain's Prince William, left, greets Kerang South Primary School students in Kerang, northeastern Victoria, Australia, Monday, March 21, 2011. Prince William is visiting a flood-hit farming region in southern Australia as he wraps up a visit to disaster zones in Australia and New Zealand. (AP Photo/Julian Smith, Pool)
(Julian Smith - AP)

Britain's Prince William, left, greets Kerang South Primary School students in Kerang, northeastern Victoria, Australia, Monday, March 21, 2011. Prince William is visiting a flood-hit farming region in southern Australia as he wraps up a visit to disaster zones in Australia and New Zealand. (AP Photo/Julian Smith, Pool)
(Julian Smith - AP)

KERANG, Australia -- Prince William wrapped up a visit to disaster zones in Australia and New Zealand on Monday, flying into flood-stricken Australian towns even as heavy rain pummeled another part of the country.

The second in line to the British throne was welcomed by hundreds of people in Kerang town in Victoria state, one of dozens across Australia that were inundated earlier this year by the country's worst flooding in decades.

Thirty-five people died in the flooding in northern Queensland state before the waters moved south into Victoria.

In a low-key visit, William was ferried around by helicopter to meet and chat with survivors in several towns that were flooded, attend numerous community barbecues and hear from local officials about cleanup and recovery operations.

In Kerang, schoolchildren - some wearing homemade tiaras and waving placards - lined the street outside the sports ground where events were held for the prince. At one point, William made a passable attempt at kicking an Australian Rules Football.

The visit came as another part of Australia suffered flooding on Monday after storms around Sydney dumped more than 8 inches (200 millimeters) of rain in around six hours.

Students were evacuated from their school in the city of Wollongong, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Sydney, after it was partly flooded in the deluge, which also swamped a trailer park and damaged roads in the area, emergency services said.

Police Sgt. John Klepczarek said the body of one man was found near a stormwater drain in the stricken area, and police were investigating whether his death was storm-related.

In the past three days, William has visited towns in Queensland that were battered by a huge cyclone in February. He traveled to Australia from New Zealand, where he participated in commemoration ceremonies for an earthquake last month that devastated the city of Christchurch, killing at least 166 people.

The visit came as anticipation builds around William's wedding next month to Kate Middleton.

Australia, a former British colony, is a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II - William's grandmother - as head of state, but is governed completely independently from Britain. While Australia has a strong movement backing full independence in the form of a republic, the queen and most of her heirs remain popular here.